Start to Finish: Woody Allen and the Art of Moviemaking

by Eric Lax Narrated by Arthur Morey

Overview

A cinephile's dream: the chance to follow legendary director Woody Allen throughout the creation of a film--from inception to premiere--and to enjoy his reflections on some of the finest artists in the history of cinema.

Eric Lax has been with Woody Allen almost every step of the way. He chronicled Allen's transformation from stand-up comedian to filmmaker in On Being Funny (1975). His international best seller, Woody Allen: A Biography (1991), was a portrait of a director hitting his stride. Conversations with Woody Allen comprised interviews that illustrated Allen's evolution from 1971 to 2008. Now, Lax invites us onto the set--and even further behind the scenes--of Allen's Irrational Man, which was released in 2015, and starred Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone. Revealing the intimate details of Allen's filmmaking process, Lax shows us the screenplay being shaped, the scenes being prepared, the actors, cinematographers, other crew members, the editors, all engaged in their work. We hear Allen's colleagues speak candidly about working with him, and Allen speaking with equal openness about his lifetime's work. An unprecedented revelation of one of the foremost filmmakers of our time, Start to Finish is sure to delight not only movie buffs and Allen fans, but everyone who has marveled at the seeming magic of the artistic process.

Editorial Reviews

The New York Times Book Review - Peter Biskind

You don't need to be a Woody Allen fan to enjoy this book. It's a veritable master class in filmmaking, with much to interest and amuse anyone who loves movies.

Publishers Weekly

07/31/2017
Lax (Faith, Interrupted), author of several books on Woody Allen including a 1991 biography, charts the director’s creative process, from script writing through postproduction, using the 2015 film Irrational Man as a case study. Lax’s book provides a clear and entertaining introduction to the moviemaking process, one that explains the roles of various collaborators in the process such as the casting director, production designer, and sound mixer. Over half of the book covers the movie shoot, on location in Rhode Island. Lax includes numerous script excerpts to provide context, so familiarity with the movie isn’t a prerequisite to reading the book. Having clearly enjoyed an impressive level of access to Allen, Lax includes a generous number of quotations from him, including reminiscences about past works and thoughts on cinema in general, which fans will savor. Allen reveals, for example, that he’s unimpressed by much classic screen comedy, saying that “I actually laugh at the Marx Brothers, at certain Bob Hope movies, and W.C. Fields,” but not “much else.” Cast members Emma Stone and Parker Posey both share the actor’s perspective, though the absence of Joaquin Phoenix, the film’s lead, is notable. Any disappointment that the book covers one of Allen’s less-celebrated films quickly dissipates as the reader becomes immersed in the careful work that goes into his films. The book succeeds simultaneously as biographical snapshot, primer on filmmaking, and documentary of an artwork’s creation. (Oct.)

From the Publisher

A veritable master class in filmmaking.” —The New York Times Book Review

“An undeniably captivating read. . . . A seriously up close and personal book. . . . Lax has an innate understanding of how Allen works.” —The Buffalo News

“A highly personal portrait of Allen—we see his insecurities, his vulnerabilities, and his dogged pursuit of a good story, be it for comedy or for deep examination of human morality—and the narrative is ripe with anecdotes and quotes. But the real achievement is seeing in detail the arc of any creative process. . . . The intimate access makes the book.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“A clear and entertaining introduction to the moviemaking process. . . . The reader becomes immersed in the careful work that goes into [Allen’s] films. The book succeeds simultaneously as biographical snapshot, primer on filmmaking, and documentary of an artwork’s creation.” —Publishers Weekly
 
“Having written a first-rate biography of Woody Allen and then published a collection of interviews with the comedian-turned-filmmaker, Eric Lax now shares the experience of observing Woody at work. . . . From concept to filming to editing and polishing, this book offers a closeup look at the process of a true auteur, one of the rare American filmmakers who has complete control over his work.” —Leonard Maltin, leonardmaltin.com
 
“Quite simply, this is unprecedented access to the creative process and Lax is a kind, patient observer.” —PopMatters

Library Journal

09/15/2017
Woody Allen biographer Lax (coauthor, Bogart; Conversations with Woody Allen) utilizes his longtime and close access to the prolific film director and reaffirms the admiring and somewhat celebratory tone of his earlier works as he describes the making of the 2015 film Irrational Man. From script writing to market distribution, Lax observes Allen's actions and attitudes, quoting him extensively. Detailed treatments of the director's controlling work and power in every aspect of the task—writing the script, finding money, hiring actors and production workers, visiting and picking locations, designing sets, determining camera angles, and selecting music—are interspersed throughout the narrative. Allen's delight and caring for the person and performance of starring actress Emma Stone as Jill, the wide-eyed student, seems to eclipse his excitement over somber Joaquin Phoenix as Abe, the philosophy professor and existentially inclined murderer. In conclusion, Allen nods to the existence of the binge-watching experience on the small screen and looks in that direction. VERDICT Man isn't Allen's most dazzling creation, but revelations of his directorial style and insights into the future of the radically changing film industry will make this volume appealing to film scholars and Woody Allen fans. [See Prepub Alert, 4/24/17.]—Ann Fey, SUNY Rockland Community Coll., Suffern

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172195402
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	10/03/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Start to Finish"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Eric Lax.
Excerpted by permission of Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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